She got it bad

"She got it bad and that ain't good."

Heifer 75 is in heat. Bad. At first I didn't recognize it. In the evening when I gave the cattle their apples for the day all lined up and fought for apples except 75. She stood in the back and occasionally would bellow. Initially I thought she found her voice and like a little kid who learns to talk, doesn't shut up.

The cattle hung around the house and whenever I was outside they would stand at the fence and beg for more apples. Except 75. As I rode off to get more apples from the neighbor I saw her head across the field alone to go to the middle pasture. Okay, she is heading to the river to get a drink. Still she is acting strange. She is acting like a mother cow that lost her calf as she seems to be calling someone and looking for them.

When I returned with apples the herd was still near the fence and all came over when they saw me return. I gave them a few more apples and counted. Nineteen. Hmmm.... the herd always stays together. Well, 75 must be at the river getting a drink.

I headed out to the pasture to spray some weeds. I could hear 75 bellow down by the river. Then she came across the south pasture to stand at the gate which was closed. She had done some traveling. I opened the gate and she came through, though quickly and warily of me.

The herd by now had come to see what we were doing and all gathered at the gate which I had closed again. 75 was foaming at the mouth and agitated. She tried to mount a few other heifers. She seemed to calm down but then she took off again. This time she headed out into the hayfield. One heifer stood at the gate and watched her go. The rest stood at the fence near me.

75 covered half the perimeter of the hayfield and along the fence before returning to the herd. She would bellow as she walked. By now I realized she was in heat worse than any heifer I've seen. She was calling for a bull. She had that crazed look in her eye I've seen in other heifers. Usually it was when they were in heat and there was a bull nearby. There is no bull nearby and she seems to be more "gone" than the other heifers who went 'boy crazy'.

I thought I should get her and the herd into the corral for the night to be on the safe side. But she ignored me once she got back near the herd and she rejoined them. This time she seemed to settle down. The herd went into the pasture to eat and she went with them and quit her bellowing for the most part though she would let out an occasional bellow.

I finished spraying the thistle weeds and rode my bicycle uptown to get some stuff. When I returned before 10 pm I saw her alone in the darkness along the fence while the herd was in the middle of the hayfield.

*sigh*

It is going to be a long night for the both of us. Fortunately there are no other cattle nearby either in sight or sound. The neighbor's bull and cattle are back at his place. Still, she is in the mood to find some luvin'. The way she is acting I almost feel sorry for the bull. He would have to perform - and now!